The Left ARM of God
by RealmOfEmptiness
Summary: "Oh sacred, beautiful and strong familiar!" Let's give her exactly what she asked, okay?
1. Chapter 1: Prologue

**Hello everyone! This fanfiction is an experiment, inspired by "Herald of the Void" by Nim Maj, "The Familiars of Zero" by Corvus no Genmu and "Points of Familiarity" by Charles Bhepin. The poor Louise Françoise Le Blanc de La Vallière was teamed in other various fanfictions with all manner of people, beasts and, funny thing, machines. But how many have been generous with the little tsundere pinkette and have granted her request for a "sacred, beautiful and strong familiar"? Few I believe. I decided to become one of them.**

**This doesn't mean I don't intend to troll her in every way possible and imaginable.**

**Prologue**

_It _is dying. Zeruel is dying.

All had started so well. After observing _its_ brethren fall under the blows of the worthless Lilim and learned from their deaths _It_ had gone into battle. Everything to reach the Father. Or the Mother. Whoever was first.

At the beginning the weapons of the Lilim couldn't do anything against the might of the Light Of _Its_ Soul. Oh, _It_ didn't deny the usefulness of such tools, as with such tools the abominable Shadows have killed many of _its_ brethrens: if _It_ was less strong _It_ would have contemplated the possibility of using such tools against their creators.

But _It _is Zeruel. _It _is the Strength and the Ire. And with the Strength destroyed them, with the Ire pierced the Earth and descended in the Nest of the Mother, where the Mother and the Father rest.

The red Shadow was waiting for _it_. _It_ had never sensed the Lilim inside before, it was not one of the usual three. But it did not matter. The Shadow attacked and was rejected. Many times. The Light Of _Its_ Soul was not denied. It tried with Madness to gain sufficient power to destroy _It_, but two simple attacks mutilated the poor fool and left it in the dirt.

The orange Shadow, with the First Lilim inside, tried to use one of their most powerful tool in a suicide attack, but the Light Of _Its_ Soul was not denied. But suddenly the red Shadow rose again and destroyed the Wall.

It did not matter: his flesh surrounded _its _Soul and even when the tool ignited with the force of a newborn sun his flesh was not denied. The orange Shadow survived, but in a pitiful state.

It was then that _It_ had an idea: one of _its_ brethren still alive, He Who Wears The Shape Of The Lilim, had informed _it_ of the presence of traps along the path: they activate when something unfamiliar tried to pass. That they could hurt _it _was unlikely, but existed the possibility that the Father and the Mother, now weakened, could die.

Unacceptable. So _It extended itself _and _engulfed _the orange Shadow, using his DNA to change _its_ presence making it look like the Shadow to not to trigger the traps. _It _trapped the Lilim within _its_ soul, using it to become even more powerful. _It_ continued _its_ descent.

And just when _It_ was ready to destroy the leaders of the Lilim the purple Shadow appeared. It pushed back and wounded _it_, but soon ran out of energy and then it was easy to defeat.

That was when everything went _wrong_. The purple Shadow stood up and the Light Of His Soul began to shine in a way never seen before, a Light who sang of Solitude. Fear. Longing. Each Wall was broken. Each attack ineffective.

_It _don't stand a chance. _Its _flesh is damaged, _its_ Ego is breaking and _its _Soul is in heavy danger.

_It _is dying.

No! Not when _It_'s so close! Not when the target is near _its _grasp! _It_ could not die yet!

Not when...not when _It_ wasn't still able to find out what was the reason _It_ was born. _Its_ Purpose! _It_ had to know! _It _had to meet the Father or the Mother who certainly knew and ask them!

Luckily for _it_ the purple Shadow chooses, instead of giving _it_ the coup de grace, to first recover the Lilim _It_ had imprisoned inside. This gives _it_ Time.

_Its _Ego, a shadow of his former self but still functional, begins to think: lets the Shadow rescue the Lilim; lets the flesh outside fade; focus everything that remains inside the Soul. _Its _Fruit of Life is damaged but still partly recoverable, it can no longer support the Glory of _its _former self but a lesser form would suffice. _It_ didn't have to fight the purple Shadow, just elude it and reach the Father or the Mother. But _its_ DNA is damaged and _It _doesn't have samples with which repa...

Oh.

Yes, _It_ has one. Let's use the first Lilim the third Lilim was about to reach. _It_ had used the Shadow, _It_ will also use the Lilim.

Silently _It_ copies her DNA and use it to create a new form, a hybrid. Even if unsightly for its tastes it will serve its purpose.

[*]

While _It_ was busied with _its_ efforts to stay together and created a new body, _It _didn't notice when the Evangelion Unit 01 pulls out from _its_ Core the Core of the Unit 00 with inside it Rei Ayanami.

Or when the green portal appears under _it_ and sucks up _its _Core while _its _flesh was destroyed.

Needless to say, it is the beginning of another headache for Akagi Ritsuko.

[*]

In the prestigious Tristain Academy of Magic today is the day when the second-year students summon their familiars, life-time companion that in addition to defining their elemental affinity (although sometimes it was unclear, such is the case with normal cats and dogs) would be their eyes and their ears via the telepathic link and guardians that would protect the mages from dangers (again sometimes this wasn't so plausible, given that a little blonde with impossible long ringlets was about to summon a _frog _of all thing). Long story short, you can say the mage summon the familiar that best matched him or her.

So, what kind of familiar could be summoned by Louise Françoise Le Blanc de La Vallière, a student that despise her glorious pedigree (her father was a Duke and her mother...let's say her legend nowadays still cause people to shit their panties) is branded as "Zero" from her peers because every spell she tried to cast end in a explosion?

A very big, powerful explosion as can testify any of the traumatized professors. Seriously, such talent would be very useful in battle: even the barbaric Germanians should not stand a chance against it. Old Man Osmond, the Headmaster, seriously considered the possibility of introducing the child to some of his old friends in the military. Certainly better than having to renovate weekly the classrooms where the La Vallière kept her practical trainings.

It did not stop her classmates from mocking her for her failures, a bullying that the pinkette's short temper only contributed fuel to.

"Miss Vallière. It's your turn." Her professor, Colbert, says.

'At last!' She thinks. Despite everything today is the day in which she will finally prove she too is a mage. Not a Zero but a real mage: all she had to do was to summon a familiar, one that would put in their place all those that until now had dared to mock her. Especially Kirche. And Tabitha...no wait the little bluenette had never harassed her, it was only her apparently friendship with the Germanian that she didn't like. 'No! No! Let's focus!' "I'm ready." She says. She advances in the summoning circle and begins the chant. She had passed many nights reading and re-reading every possible scrap of info on the ritual as to not make mistakes. Her movements are perfect, her voice firm, her face a stone.

And yet her emotions whirl like a tornado.

"_I beg of you…_" She really meant it: despite her pride as a noble she is ready to beg anyone, even the most abject of beggar if this would enable her to do a spell right.

"_My servant who lives somewhere in the universe!_" It don't matter where: surely...surely somewhere exists the perfect match for her!

"_Oh sacred, beautiful and strong familiar spirit!_" Yes: she wants it to be sacred, like an angel from the Holy Books; beautiful, to destroy the ego of the von Zerbst who dare to pollute the school with her lewdness and corrupt the young male nobles; but especially, she wants it to be strong. More strong of her, more strong of her mother's Manticore, more strong of a Fire Dragon or even one of the legendary Rhyme Dragons, more strong of a Elf...wait, was that possible? Screw logic: even that!

"_I desire and here I plead from my heart!_" She speaks the truth: her magic answers to the single wish born from the heart of its wielder and, unseen to all, with all its might pierces the barrier between worlds, sailing deftly in the Void _which is the source of all his power _searching, searching until it founds the perfect match. For the descendant of the one which today is worshiped as a God, it gives her a Servant of God.

"_Answer to my guidance!_" It does.

With the mightiest explosion yet produced, an immense wall of smoke and dust covers the courtyard obscuring the ground in front of her from view.

"I knew it!" Someone shouts in the crowd while the others are busy coughing violently. But Louise stands: even with the explosion she have not yet confirmed whether or not something has been summoned. Her failures had never killed someone...yet. As the dust falls she tries to see what she had summoned.

She is greeted by a wall. A wall of _red_.

The..._thing_, because there are no words to exactly describe it, soars over the gathered there like a mansion, its height almost fifty feet, its form a perfect sphere with a single depression at the top.

And the transparent surface allows her to see inside. 'God, it's like standing before a immense glass full of blood!'

"W-what the hell did you summon, Vallière!" Montmorency cries. She expected the "Zero" to fail or summon something pathetic, not this...this creepy _thing_. Is it a egg? If so what manner of creature can lay an egg so big?

"This makes all you said worth it! Only you would summon a egg that has yet to hatch, Louise!" Mocked Kirche, but contrary to the purpose of such words her voice is strained and faltering. The cause?

The _terror_ her new familiar Flame was transmitting through their mental link. A terror that each familiar shared, even Sylphid: no matter how much Tabitha is trying to calm her, the poor dragon child couldn't avoid that. A single, absolute statement printed itself in large letters in her mind.

_That_. _Thing_. _Is_. _Deadly_.

Louise, still shocked at the sight, turns to ask for another attempt from Colbert. She don't have the time.

A CRACK! draws her attention. A rift has formed on the surface. CRACK! Another.

And then the thing, simply, melts: a wave of red liquid flood the courtyard. A thick, sticky red liquid which smells of blood. Louise and Colbert, who was still trying to regain control of the situation, retreat just in time to avoid being submerged, but this doesn't prevent their feet becoming wet. Theirs and those of all the other students.

A pair of familiars drown. They and their owners are not important so we will not touch them ever again. Just out of curiosity, they are some of Louise's most persistent tormentors.

"Zero! Are you trying to kill us all?" Guiche screams crying for his ruined expensive new pants. He turns to Montmorency to check and finds the girl with her eyes wide. "Monmon. Is something wrong?"

"L-look." She lifts her hand and points.

"What?" Guiche looks, and promptly gasps. Louise hears the conversation and looks too. Her reaction is the same.

Because _something _is coming from where the egg was before.

It is female, its shape similar to that of humans but certainly not human, of that there is no doubt: high as Colbert, her body is wrapped in a white and black tight suit that emphasizes her body and would be considered obscene by the present females if they had the courage to speak. The color changes to orange over the breasts and the hips and to blue over the arms, high-heel boots help to make her imposing. Her face is, by common agreement among all the males present, beautiful: pale skin, red eyes and pink hair. Those of Louise are strawberry-blonde, but these are really, really pink.

But here end the similarities with the human body: spaulder shaped bones encase her shoulders, two blunt horns of the same materials rise from her head and a red gem, similar to the egg, is embeded in her chest.

And ultimately there are the _wings_. Two pairs to be exact: one under her shoulders, little and pink in color, and another above, bigger and azure, thin like paper and jagged at the end.

She advances, her steps uncertain and eyes staring into empty space, until she gets in front of Louise who stands enchanted, and drops to her knees as if she had lost the strength to stand up.

"Miss Vallière, you must complete the ritual." Colbert say still trying to at least _understand_ the strange turn of events.

"Eh? But professor Colbert...what is it?"

"Ah. A kind of...Birdman. I think." 'Is it? The Birdmen are a race of demi-humans with wings who live in the forests.' But Colbert has already had met such creatures in the past, and the female in front of him doesn't radiate their presence at all. 'Plus the Birdmen do not lay eggs, surely not as big as that.'

Louise stares at her familiar. 'A Birdman? Well, she is certainly beautiful, and with those wings looks like an angel (she has no idea), but strong? Those arms do not seem capable of heavy work.' And who cares! She summoned a familiar! The first part was creepy but now the opportunity she was looking for all her life is in front of her! She waves her wand and begins the binding chant.

"My name is Louise Françoise Le Blanc de La Vallière. Pentagon of the Five Elemental Powers, bless this humble being and make her my familiar." She brings her face closer and kiss her on the lips.

Light begins to shine on the familiar's left hand and she jolts.

[*]

For the magical contract of the Gandalfr runes it is a great day! Usually it has to work on weak beings that are of any use to the Master only with the enchantements it grants. But this new Being, even alone, has an incredible power! It did not even need to add the physical boosts.

But the mind is a mess. It don't even possess a sense of self and every Gandalf worthy of respect must be intelligent. This must be corrected.

With the power of the Void it begins to re-arrange the thought process: it provides the being with a gender, it chooses female; the ability to speak and understand human language; the ability to learn new things and evolve (The Fruit of Knowledge would say a certain blonde scientist, before running away screaming). Now it remains only to ensure the obedience of the familiar to the new master.

Even this is easy: the familiar searches a Purpose.

Let's give her one.

[*]

Zeruel is confused: any known presence is gone and replaced by a myriad of other different ones. There's nothing _It_ recognizes. _It_ don't even know what _It _should recognize. _It _only knows that _It_ must find..._its_ Purpose.

_HEAR ME CHILD._

An unknown voice resounds in the depths of _its_ soul.

_I AM HERE TO GIVE YOU A MISSION._

Mission?..._Its _Purpose? Is finally about to find out why _It_ was born?

_YOU WILL BECOME A GUARDIAN._

A guardian? She can do that! She is strong! She..._SHE_?

Yes: she. She don't know why or how, but now she is aware of her identity. _She _know _herself_.

It fell right. And good.

_NOW GO: YOUR MASTER AWAITS._

And so she went.

[*]

Suddenly her eyes recover their focus. No, _they acquire it for the first time_. She sees Louise and _knows_ who she is. She gets up and bows with a expressionless face, the right hand over her Core. On the back of his left hand the runes of the contract shine with all the ever changing colors of the rainbow. The runes, however, are slightly different from the usual.

"Your..." She speaks uncertainly. It's the first time she speaks, she must become used to it. But her voice sounds melodious: she doesn't know what it means, but she knows is a good thing. "...orders, Master?"

Louise is taken aback. 'She is intelligent?' Of course! She's her familiar! Plus she is respectful and polite like a proper familiar. But if she can think does that mean she already has a name? "Do you have a name?"

She thinks: she has a name, no a definition, but she must communicate it in a way that is understandable in the human language. Now what was the correct...Ah, now she remembers.

"I am...Zeruel."

The Left _Arm_ of God.

**Finished! What do you think? Zeruel means literally the "Arm of God": when I read it looking for a protagonist for this story I immediately understood I hit Jackpot! Gandalfr is the "Left Hand of God", Zeruel the "Arm of God": together they become the "Left Arm of God".**

**If you like it I promise to work more quickly if you send a lot of reviews.**

**If you want to know in detail Zeruel girl form look on Google: Gainax Chromosome XX Zeruel (or click the link below.)**

http: / www (dot) gainax (dot) co (dot) jp/goods/angel_xx/img/zeruel-xx (dot) jpg


	2. Chapter 2: The Beginning of Bonds

**I corrected the trivial mistakes. Now it should be more enjoyable to read. I see that the idea appeals to a lot of people. I am very happy of it. I will continue with renewed enthusiasm.**

**yog: The runes are simply a Plot Device. I will not nerf Zeruel, she is a literal powerhouse but this is a humor fic so is ok with the plot. And despite her powers she has a lot of weakness like her inability to fully understand Louise's society (and of course this will a source of hilarity). But I will give her worthy opponents. You will see, you will see...*mad laughter*. I took a liberty with the precepts of Brimir's Church, I don't think they were ever fully explained, if I'm wrong tell me so. Louise isn't a real expert of magical creatures: she know a lot thank to Cattleya's hobby but only little about Birdmen because she has never seen one. The future is like this: she searchs. She finds about Birmen's magic. She asks Zeruel about it. Zeruel replies she can't use magic. Louise despairs. Later with the villains Zeruel uses her AT-Field. Louise face faults. Hilarity ensured. **

**Gamazek: Thank you. The title will remain Gandalfr, the runes are different but the pronunciation is the same. Much to Colbert's migraine.**

**Spaceman: I should include it? Or I should not? Maybe as a omake? Because you are right, Guiche will not survive.**

**Silver Sun 17: Now that's a idea for a omake!**

**Shinji: Uhm...Hello again?**

**Zeruel: You killed me.**

**Shinji gulps.**

**Zeruel: Payback time *****She cracks her knuckles***

**Shinji runs away screaming like a little girl. Zeruel pursues.**

**Meanwhile the two Louise...**

**Louise POF: Do you want to exchange familiars?**

**Louise TLAOG: No.**

**THE BEGINNING OF BONDS**

[*]

Inside her room Louise, in a nightgown, stares at her new familiar, who called herself Zeruel: it really does not seem a female name but maybe her people have different traditions. Once the ritual was completed she had mentioned Zeruel to follow her and she had set out in a hurry to her room to change her clothes.

As they passed the other familiars had pulled back frightened, even Tabitha's dragon was shaking like a leaf, and you need a lot to make a dragon afraid. The phenomenon seemed to influence even their owners because no one had dared to mock her, even Kirche. This had made her happy, but also a little uneasy.

Zeruel stands in the middle of the room, her emotionless eyes fixed on her. During the trip she had launched glances around them as if memorizing the surroundings but for the majority of the time she had never lost sight of the young noble. Louise is nervous about it but tries to reassure herself repeating that it is a normal behavior for a familiar, a sign of attachment and affection.

But there is also the strange feeling in the back of her mind, like a soft pull. It had suddenly appeared when the runes had finished inscribing on her hand (she had never seen or heard of multi-colored runes. They are so pretty!) and seems to convey...emotions or something similar when she focus on Zeruel. At that moment she feels, no, she is absolutely sure that her well-being is the first priority of the winged girl and paying attention to her position is a basic behavior to perform a good job. 'Is this the famous mental link was between the summoner and the summon?'

"Are you...alright, master?" Zeruel asks suddenly, a very slight movement of the eyelids to show concern.

Louise is taken aback. "No, no, nothing." 'Wow, apparently it works the other way too.' "Okay, okay. So, Zeruel: you are now my familiar. You know what that means?"

"Is 'familiar' the correct...definition of my role?" A nod. "I know I am a guardian...and as such I have to protect you from...any and all dangers. I not aware what other tasks...I must perform."

"Right, your main role is to protect me. But that is not the only thing, there are two other jobs that a familar must perform, beside obeying to the orders of the master: a familiar acts as the eyes and ears of the summoner, it means that I can use your senses as my own. We'll try later. The second thing you have to do is to retrieve items for me, like reagents and potion ingredients."

"I'm sorry master." Zeruel says apologetically. Or at least Louise think is apologetically: the signs indicating emotions are so slight that she has to rely to the mental link. "I know very little of human society...and a large number of things...escape my current understanding. I must request more details to...perform well my duty. For the use of my senses are you talking...about the bond between our Souls?"

"The bond between our souls?" Louise repeats. "Uh, well, yes, I think it can be described in such a way." She remembers the lessons her mother taught her: the link between the mage and the familiar is considered sacred and to the law the two are one and the same. The Duchess said she always knows what her manticore is doing. Truly, Louise had never managed to convince the old animal to give her a ride without the consent of his mother. "You have experience with it?"

"My brethren and I share such...a bond: what one learns everyone learns and because...there are no barriers we always speak the truth and we are...never alone. But...I am not sure, but the bond between us seems...different." She frowned in intense concentration.

"Different? In what sense?"

"It is...restricted, the flow of communality isn't...strong like the one I'm familiar with. It seems to require...active concentration to be used at his fullest. It eludes...my current understanding."

"Oh...I see." To tell the truth she doesn't but she cannot admit it out loud. She is still stunned by Zeruel's claims of the capacities of her species: if it is true then it is a bond much stronger compared to the Servant Contract. Everything is shared? No lies? Can anyone define himself an individual in a system like it? It's practically a hive-mind. She shudders at the thought. "Maybe the cause is the magical nature of the Contract, it might also be because we are different species. Is there anything else you want to know?"

"Yes: those reagents and...ingredients. I don't know the...meaning of such words."

"They are materials, like sulfur or certain plants. You have to find them in the wilderness. Understand?" A nod. "Good. Well it's pretty late so I'm going to sleep. Take those." She point to her dirty clothes. "Find a maid and tell her to wash them. You can sleep he..." She trails off when she remembers that the only sleeping arrangement she has prepared for the summoning is only a pile of hay. And looking to Zeruel she does not have the courage to make the Birdwoman try sleeping in such a poor place. Even though she is only a familiar...No! She is _her_ familiar, and as such she is responsible for her. If it had been another type of creature or, Brimir forgive it, a _commoner_ she would not have thought about it twice. The same if she had shown an insolent behavior, but...no, her behavior was impeccable and Louise's noble honor demands to her to reward the service rendered. She could grant a little kindness. "You can sleep in my bed, here next to me. But you have to wake me up at dawn. I will not forgive you if you oversleep."

"I understand. But I have another...question."

"What would it be?" She asks exasperated. Sure she is a perfect familiar, but Louise has to explain everything. From what backwood place she comes...oh, right: the Birdmen live in the forests. And they try to avoid contact with humans. You cannot really expect them to take an interest at the mages's superior society.

"What is a maid?"

Louise stares. Yes, She _definitely_ should not have expected it. "A maid is one of the servants of the castle. The people doing the housework. Just ask."

"It will be done. Master, I know I shouldn't...leaving your side for too long, but I need to...check my body to assess his current...capacities. I have your permission?"

"Uh? Oh, sure, go ahead. While you're at it familiarize yourself with the layout of the castle, you have to know where to go if I need you to do anything around the castle for me." That said, the scion of the Vallière's cuddled under the blanket and slept.

"Yes...sleep well, master." Zeruel said. The words just came naturally, the echo of a memory too vague even to be recognized as such. But the DNA remembers and the Runes agree: this feels right. Zeruel collects the clothes in silence and exits the room.

[*]

Zeruel proceeds along the corridor carrying the clothes with both hands. She stops before a window and looks outside. There, in the night sky with a sea of stars, shine brightly two moons, one red and the other blue.

This is in contradiction with all the information she has received before her battle with the damnable Shadows. Tabris lives on the satellite and confirmed that only one revolves around the blue planet, and it is white. And yet she can't sense either him nor her other brethren, not even the Father and the Mother.

Only one logical conclusion can be drawn: she is no longer on the blue planet. Whatever happened when she was busy reconstructing her body carried her in a different area of space, too far to allow the resonance between Souls. But if this is required for the achievement of its Purpose then she will accept it. She is bonded with her Master and it will suffice.

Another question: who are the creatures that inhabit this place and to which her master belong? They seem Lilim, but are not. The influence of the Mother was nonexistent and the Melody of their Souls, albeit similar, was not the same. On the way she has seen someone use the Light of Their Souls, but that too was different though similar. She looks at the symbols on her hand: the energy inside is the same as her master and it tells her that despite her questions her task does not change and that they are not an obstacle to the accomplishment of her mission. Yet.

She nods. She can wait, if a threat arose she will evolve and develop a countermeasure. Such is the blessing of the Fruit of Life. Her recent defeat will not be repeated. And if one day she will meet again the Third Lilim she will wait until he is outside his Shadow, just to be sure.

And then hit him like the fist of an angry god.

[*]

At that precise moment, in the Multiverse, a great number of Shinji Ikari's shudder when suddenly a ominous feeling grips their hearts, as if death itself is waiting behind the next corner. Many scream when Misato or Asuka touch them from behind asking if he is alright. In one particularly unfortunate case the whole apartment bursts on fire.

Never disturb a chef at work.

[*]

But first, Zeruel remembers herself, she needs to find a 'maid'. Make no mistakes: Angels don't have the concept of 'revenge'. Instead they highly value the one of 'retribution'. The difference is in the intent behind. So she resumes walking down the staircase until she hears two people talking.

"I'm good at making soufflè." a female voice said.

"I'd love to have a taste of that." a male voice remarks.

"Really?"

"Of course, Katie. I would never lie to your eyes."

"Sir Guiche..."

At that point Zeruel could see the owners of the two voices, they are a male with blonde hair and a female with brown hair. Guiche noticed her too, and could not withhold a certain surprise.

"Oh! You are the familiar that Louise summoned."

"Really?" Katie replies."It was a hot topic between the first years too, they say someone summoned a Birdman." Inside she is marveled at the sight. Guiche too, but his thoughts are more on the...lewd side of things.

"Is amazing, isn't it? To think that someone like the 'Zero' may ha-"

"Are you a maid?" Zeruel's interruption stops them.

"What?" Guiche is dumbfounded.

"Are you a maid?" She repeats.

"Of course not! But..."

"Are you a maid?" Zeruel ask again, this time addressing Kaite and scaring the poor girl.

"She is not a maid! How dare you suggest that Katie is some low commoner! You should show to nobles the proper...Hey! Wait, listen to me!" But Zeruel, received confirmation that neither of the two subject is what she seeks, has already left without bothering to pay attention anymore. The important thing is to follow the orders of her master.

She continues her walk until she come across another human, a female with black hair. Said female is carrying a basket full of dirty clothes but stops with wide eyes when she spots Zeruel.

"Are you a maid?" The question is repeated once again.

"H-Hai. Are you...the familiar that Miss De La Vallière summoned?" She asks while the initial shock gives way to curiosity.

"Correct. My master wished those objects to be washed." She hands to her the clothes.

"Certainly." She takes them and puts them together with the others. Vallière was not the only one who that night had required a quick laundry: apparently there was some kind of accident and every second years's clothes were dirtied. She did not ask why they were stained with what looked like _blood_. "Forgive my curiosity, even among the staff there have been rumors about a noble summoning a Birdman."

"Apostle." Zeruel frowns.

"Uh?"

"I don't know what a Birdman is...but the correct definition of my race is...Apostles." Their name is one of their many prides: it shows their devotion to the will of the Father. She is the second person who use that other name. If there is a misunderstanding it must be corrected.

"Ah. I'm sorry then. By the way, my name is Siesta. What is yours?"

"Zeruel. My master also wished that I memorize...the layout of this place. If you already know it I would like you...to act as my guide."

"Gladly. Follow me." And so for the next hour Siesta shows to the Apostle the major locations of the castle. Many questions were asked, like what a kitchen is, what a commoner is, what a 'Tristain' is, leaving the maid wondering exactly where Zeruel comes from. Her answer 'from the Father' was interpreted by the country girl as a sign that Zeruel belonged to a close-knit family where the patriarch's name alone was enough to indicate a specific location.

The truth is that the Angels don't use arbitrary divisions in the physical space: to them everything is a perfect union of land, water, and sky. Only the sidereal void can separate something. They were originally terraforming biological machines, you can't colonize outer space.

Not without a space colony. And that is a specialization of the civilized species.

After the tour and saying goodbye to Siesta she made her way to the courtyard. The orders of her master had been completed, now she can finally devote herself to calmly examining the results her biological change had produced. She rests both hands over her Core and closes her eyes, senses unknown to any other living creature extend and envelop her. Her Core shines.

The fusion between her original DNA and that of the Lilim seems stable, the fact the Lilim was a hybrid herself helped the process. Some of the changes are inexplicable, like the wings, probably it is a spontaneous release of Junk DNA. The Fruit of Life, although smaller, is restored in its integrity. The power output is, as expected, drastically reduced. No good. Although she probably does not have to worry about the presence of the Shadows or the tools of the Lilim back on the blue planet, the current technological level of this new world and the full abilities of the Light of The Soul's users here are still unknown to her. She don't possess enough information to make an accurate judgment.

Yet she is Zeruel. She is the Strength and the Ire. She will destroy what is unworthy and kill the ones who dare to threaten her master. Yes, no matter what, for an Apostle a Purpose is absolute. She will not fail again.

Never again.

She relaxes. Now is the time to test the Light of Her Soul.

Let's try flying.

[*]

High in the sky a strange couple is watching the odd familiar of Louise Françoise Le Blanc de La Vallière. It is the quiet mage, Tabitha, someone even more of a _loli _then Louise, astride the back of Sylphid. The reason for this behavior? Many to speak the truth.

She is the Knight of the North Parterre, the training engraved within herself pushes her to be very careful of the surroundings. Here in a foreign country she takes note of possible dangerous individuals in the event of a war between Tristain and Gallia.

But most of all she is apprehensive. A rare emotion for her and never pleasant. She knows that the creature is not a Birdman: she had already fought in the past against one of their colony and she could understand the differences. In addition there is the fear of Sylphid: she was glad to have summoned a dragon, even more so when she discovered that it was a Rhyme Dragon: together with a new friend now she has a valuable ally. And yet the young dragon would not stop repeating how _unnatural_ Louise's familiar was, the immense _terror_ her presence caused her and how it was imperative to get _far away as possible_ from her.

For Tabitha, at birth Charlotte Helene Orléans De Gallia, for which defeat means her and her mother's death, the strange being represents a potential threat that she could not ignore. And so, after hardly convincing a recalcitrant Sylphid, she is using the enhanced senses of the dragon to spy. So far there has not been much to see: after remaining steady for several minutes in the middle of the field absorbed in the concentration with her hands on her chest the being spreads her arms...

Tabitha's eyes widen when a ring of crimson energy is formed above her head and her body is lifted from the ground a few feet. She stays in that position for a few seconds and then she leaps into the sky with an impossible acceleration, a speed even a Wind Dragon cannot even hope to archive. She begins to execute a series of wild aerial stunts, like a young bird that has just learned to fly and is testing its current capacity. The petite mage continues, not without effort, to follow with her eyes.

Wait a minute...

She's coming this way?

"Left!" Her scream comes in a hurry and the dragon quickly responds flapping its wings to move sideways. Just in time, as Zeruel shoots like a bullet through the area of space where they were in until a few moments ago. The G-force, even the portion that would influence the Apostle but is kept out by her AT-Field, hits them like a hammer. The Rhyme Dragon jerks in midair, trying to regain stability while Tabitha manages to avoid being thrown away only thanks to a speed-chanted wind spell.

"Onee-sama!" Cries Sylphid. "Are you alright?"

"Yes." She replies quiet despite the situation, but her hard glare turns toward the being who landed in the middle of the courtyard again and is walking in the direction of her master's bedroom.

"Doesn't bother." The full meaning of the little comment is more or less this: 'she doesn't even bother to acknowledge their presence'.

That...is not a good sign.

[*]

_In her bedroom Louise Françoise Le Blanc de La Vallière sleeps. Sleeps and dreams._

_She dreams of a time beyond Time, of a place beyond Space. All was undefined and yet all was certain. She was One with the almighty Father. All was good._

_Then a change occurred: the Father found a world that could be populated. That could be improved. Made more beautiful. Because there is no greater beauty than that of Life._

_So the Father concentrated and the Light of His Soul shined. The Light of the Father encompassed the entire world. It was the greater power, the imagination manifested in the world and made real. The Sacred Province by which one reshaped Reality itself with his will. It is the most simple of acts, everyone can do it._

_Louise don't understand. She is the daughter of Duke de La Vallière and Duchess de La Vallière and yet she is also the child of the Father and the Father itself._

_She don't understand. They taught her from birth that magic is the greatest power and that only nobles could use it and yet she knows that all her power is the Light of Her Soul and the Light of The Soul of everyone is their power. This attracts her attention._

_Magic is difficult, the Light is easy. Magic requires discipline, the Light requires faith. Magic has limits, the Light has no limits. Magic is a gift from God, the Light simply _is_._

_She has never been able to cast proper magic. So she thinks: Show Me._

_Show Me More of This Light._

_In her bedroom Louise Françoise Le Blanc de La Vallière sleeps. Sleeps and dreams. Beside her Zeruel rests but don't sleep. She watches her, she protects her. Her master is safe. All is good._


	3. You Should Think Before Speaking

**Good, I see that I continue to receive positive reviews. Only one thing: I know, I need a beta reader. If someone is willing to do it I will gladly accept his help. The one who help me with my other story "A New Road Of Hope" is too busy to help me with this.**

**Corvus no Genmu: The honor is mine in receiving your praise, your one-shots are the best.**

**Gamer: Ah, "Hill of Swords". I admit it is one of the stories that I liked more. I hated his characterization of Shirou (read: a little hypocrite with suicidal inclinations) but the story was awesome. For the format...Yeah, I drew inspiration from there, I admit. But this is different: this dream sequence not only serves to illustrate the history of Zeruel (a past perceived with alien sense Louise can hardly understand) but also to start a development for our little mage. Do you remember that in the Eva serie were very careful to avoid mental contacts with the Angels and synchronization too high with the Evangelions?**

**And now the Familiar Contract established a permanent link between the souls of our two protagonists? Cookies for who can guess where I'm going with this.**

**asredwer: Yeah, usually the familiars's rebellious spirit is needed to make Louise understand that just because she is a noble she cannot expect to have the world at her feet. It is a lesson in humility and respect for others. Here she will see that every desire has its consequences, and even with a obedient servant life is not always nice.**

**Peanuckle: Right, "giant alien monster" can pretty much screw everything, I chose this form because I liked it. And she is a terrifying thing, but that looks pretty. Talk about deceptive appearance...**

**A friend of my point out that without a male protagonist the cast is both pretty much all female (a mixed bag but it removes many types of conflict and humor) and that without someone summoned from a more 'enlightened' society things may not be nearly as interesting, since Louise and her group won't have the progressive and adventurous attitude that lead to half of their adventures.**

**He has a point, so I thought of a solution: built new types of humor and conflict and add someone with said attitude. Who? You will see: there will be not only one at any rate. And the canon? Screwed beyond hope obviously.**

**YOU SHOULD THINK BEFORE SPEAKING**

[*]

And morning comes. Zeruel sees the light of the star that illuminates this world filtering through the window. It's time to wake her master. She gets up and leans toward Louise.

"Master. It's dawn." She speaks softly.

"Munya, Munya..."

Zeruel blinks. Translation is impossible, the words of her master don't make sense at all. She tries again. "Master. You ordered me to wake you up...in the morning."

"Munyaaa...Fuah! Fuah!"

Even less sense. It appears the conscience of her master is still in the deep of her subconscious. She concentrates and uses the soul connection to catch a glimpse of her REM activity.

...

What are strawberries and chocolate? Regardless she needs to fulfill her orders, so she sends a feeling of severe urgency hoping that it would be enough to restore active consciousness.

What she don't know is that such an act is like a psychic slap to the face of the Ego while is busy building a castle of cards with the Id and is absorbed in the delicate task of placing the final piece.

In Layman's terms: overwhelming panic.

"UUUUWWAAAAHHH!" Louise wakes up shrieking. "What-Oh, it's you Zeruel."

"Good morning Master." The Apostle replies unabashed. Mission accomplished.

"Oh, I was dreaming of eating a delicious cake...'' 'Yes, and before a different one, but I don't remember it: something about father and...a light of some sort. I know it was strange, but not because it was.'

The sleepiness completely dissipated Louise stands up and take out from the closet a fresh uniform. Before she also picks the underwear she stops and turns toward her familiar, who continues to observe her with the same expressionless face. Should she ask the girl to dress her like a servant? But then she remembers: a familiar, not a servant, a Birdwoman, not a human. THAT would be improper. Even a bit perverted. She shakes her head to clear it and resumes the dressing.

[*]

They had just left the room when another door opens and from the inside a tall girl with flaming red hair steps out.

Kirche grins broadly. "Good morning Louise."

Louise frowns. "What do you want Zerbst?" It is too early in the morning to be dealing with her major source of headaches.

'Master is experiencing discomfort.' Zeruel thinks. 'This new female appears to be an unwelcome presence.' Her gaze shifts and concentrates on her, ready to react to the possible danger.

"Why, nothing, my dear Louise. I just decided to come here to greet you and your...unique familiar." She seems to study Zeruel with attention. "Simply amazing. What is your name?"

"Zeruel."

"What a strange name. So, how much?" She asks somewhat mockingly.

"Uh?" Louise says confused. But Kirche is talking to Zeruel.

"Come on, you can tell us what really happened. How much is she paying you per day to keep up the act of being her familiar?"

"That's ridiculous! Kirche, you know very well that I wouldn't desecrate the ritual like that! I performed the summon and she is what came out!" She declares enraged. How dare she insinuate she degraded herself so much as to falsify the result of the ritual. It's an insult to the Founder himself!

"Oh, be serious Louise. How else could the famous 'Zero' summon something like a Birdman with a..."

"Apostle."

"Eh?" They both ask when Zeruel stops the talk.

"I'm not a Birdman." She continues with the same emotionless voice, but Louise senses it is an argument of the utmost importance. "My race is called...Apostles."

"Ahaha! I should've know it was a fluke! I never heard of 'Apostles' but if so they must be nothing special if they are so unknown. If you're going to have a familiar, it should be a good one, like this. Flame!" Kirche calls her familiar triumphantly. From her room, a large, dark-red lizard slithers out. It raises his head.

And sees Zeruel. Instantly he curls behind Zerbst's legs and begins to tremble in fear.

"Flame? What's wrong? Why are you so afraid?" She asks bewildered.

"Standard behavior." The Angel of Might replies after listening at the Soul's Melody of the new being.

"Uh?" The two noble ask again.

"Biological organism classified as 'Flame' is showing the standard behavior of most species when confronted with a superior life form and is unknown if it is a predator or not." Zeruel responds only because she perceived her master asking the same question. The worries of this female don't concern her.

Both nobles remain speechless while their brains process the meaning of the Apostle's words. The first to reach it is Louise, who despite the lack of magical prowess surpass the redhead in the theory. Immediately after she doesn't erupt in uncontrollable laughter, because such a thing is unbefitting of a noble.

No sir. Not at all.

"Ahahahaha! It appears the familiar has more brain in his skull than his summoner! Ahahahaha! It's just like you Zerbst! Ahahahaha!" Two whole years of frustration and now she has her revenge. What a sweet dish it is.

Kirche frowns. Her plan was simple: tease Louise, impress her and her familiar with Flame and leave with a healthy dose of good humor. It backfired horribly. She sighs. "Well, I suppose amateurs like you would never understand such a thing. I guess I can't really fault you since you obviously don't know the significance of such a feat as summoning something that is obviously better than some unknown creature. Come Flame, we're leaving."

She gestures to the salamander and walk away. As she disappears, Louise shook a fist in her direction. "Ooh, that girl gets on my nerves! She won't even admit her defeat!"

"That female is a...nuisance to you Master. Do you want me to...remove her?"

"Oh ye- wait, what?" Louise's instinctive agreement ends in sputters as she looks at her familiar's clenched fists while images pops out in her head. Images of Kirche, of the same fist clenched around her neck...

_Of Kirche's head separated from her body..._

"No! No killing my classmates!" Hate is okay but she has no intention of going to jail. "Just...don't kill anybody."

Zeruel bows. "Acknowledged."

A wide smile works its way up her face. "The next time she tries something like that, approach her familiar and see if you can make it run with its tail between its legs. Especially if there are other people present." The Germanian isn't the only one with a clever mind.

"Thy will be done."

[*]

The Academy of Magic's dining hall is the tallest and center most building on the premises. Inside, three extremely long tables are arranged parallel to each other. Each one looks like it could easily seat a hundred people. The students are divided according to years, one for each table, and a large number of servants are in constant movement carrying food and empty dishes. On an upper level the teachers are enjoying pleasant chatter.

"Miss Vallière!" Before Louise and Zeruel can enter in the hall an excited voice cuts through the air, calling out the pinkette's name. Turning to the source, Louise is treated to the sight of a very excited professor Colbert, a great number of notes under his left arm.

"Mr. Colbert?" She asks, looking at the elderly mage with a confused expression.

"Sorry for the interruption, but I'll need to borrow some of your time." Her teacher explains, moving towards them. "If you don't mind, would you let me take a look at the runes on your familiar? I could not see them well yesterday because of the confusion."

"Sure. Zeruel." She turns toward her familiar. "Show to professor Colbert the runes. The symbols on your left hand." She adds to make sure that she understands. The Apostle obeys and extends her arm forward. "They're unusual, aren't they? I never heard of multicolor markings." Louise said.

"True. Most are blue, and there are recorded cases of green and white, but none with more than one color. What's more, they are very intricate. So much that I do not think they can be deciphered without careful research. "He mutters while he continues to take notes.

"Another thing professor. Zeruel told me she is an Apostle. Is that perhaps a sub-species of Birdman?"

"Apostle?" He shook his head. "I have never heard of it. That's said I'm not really an expert in magical creatures. Maybe it is a rare species. Tell me Miss Zeruel, from where you are..." He raises his head to meet the eyes of the familiar. And froze.

Colbert was not always a teacher. Many years ago he was a soldier, the 'Fire Snake', trained by the best mages in the kingdom, used to accomplish dangerous missions. His commander was Karin the 'Heavy Wind', curiously the mother of Louise and now Duchess de La Vallière, but in those days (and even now he was sure) the best wind mage of Tristain, maybe of all Halgekenia: a ruthless soldier with nerves of steel and the knack of pulling only the best from her subordinates. He remembers her cold eyes, the insane eyes of his former subordinate Menvil, the eyes of all his enemies, his family, his friends, his students, his acquaintances. He has seen hundreds of different looks.

But never like the one of the self-proclaimed Apostle. Her fresh spilled-blood eyes look at him and yet at the same time _not_. It isn't how she sees him, it is how she _considers_ him: not like a person, but only a simple part of her surroundings.

She don't regard him as a human, he thinks. Not even as a living being, for her he is no different from a lamp or the floor. It is the first time for Colbert seeing a creature who utterly refuses to distinguish him from others as an independent existence. Looking at those eyes is like having ones very identity denied.

It isn't scary. It isn't reassuring. It is _alien_.

With supreme force of will he stops himself for running from the familiar and backs away. He doesn't know but he is sweating copiously. "N-No, nothing. See you in class Miss Vallière." He stutters before leaving and heading to the library, the impulse of accelerating his pace barely restrained.

"Is he okay?" A confuse Louise asks aloud, before turning toward Zeruel. "Familiars are not allowed inside the Alvíss Dining Hall. Wait for me in the courtyard with the rest of the familiars."

"Understand." Zeruel don't like being separate from her master, but orders are absolute so there is no hesitation in the answer.

[*]

Zeruel walks into the courtyard, now full of all the other summoned animals. They are like her, she thinks, other beings with the Purpose of serving their respective masters. Unlike lost souls, they know their place in the world. And now she too knows hers. Her thoughts shift to her brethren, both the dead and the still alive. Of the original fifteen sons of the Father only four remains: her, Arael, Armisael and Tabris. They died searching for the answers that the Father could not provide them before freeing them. Now that she has found hers she can only pray for the others to be successful.

She stands there, motionless, when a known voice calls her name.

"Miss Zeruel." Siesta happily exclaims approaching the Apostle. "Good to see you again."

"Good morning." She replies. As a person which has provided useful aid to her master she must show attention.

"You too. What are you doing here?"

"Master ordered to wait for her here."

"I see. You must be hungry, do you want something to eat?" It is her turn to feed the new summoned familiars of the second years, which includes the nice winged girl.

Zeruel ponders. External nourishment? Such a thing is not needed with the blessing of the Fruit of Life. But in this new form it may be a good idea to replenish her reserves from another source, it will put less strain on the Fruit. She considers suitable foods. A feeling tells her those who are not.

"No meat."

"Excuse me?" Siesta asks puzzled.

"I don't desire to eat...products of animal origin."

"Ah, then fruits and vegetables are good?" Zeruel nods. "Come with me, we can take something from the herbivores stocks. But first we have to wash them."

[*]

Louise walks into the courtyard together the other students, briefly wondering why all the familiars seem to be in distress. Sylphid is atop one of the nearby castle towers, the paws over her ears to not listen to Tabitha's requests to come down. Not until the _abomination_ is far away, that's for sure!

"Zeruel? Where are you?"

"Here master." She appears promptly.

"What do you have in your hand?" She asks pointing.

"An apple."

"Why you have an apple in your hand?"

"I am eating it." She nips a bite chewing slowly. It is her first time eating said fruit. It is a pleasant experience.

"...Forget it. Silly me to even ask. Come, I have class."

The classrooms in the Academy are similar to university lecture halls: like the rest of the castle made of stone, but the seats and desks are made of wood. When Zeruel and Louise enters, every student in the room simultaneously turn their heads towards them. At the same time all the familiars retreat to the opposite side of the room.

'What.' She turns toward Zeruel. 'Your the cause?' A nod from the Apostle informs her that their link works perfectly. 'Oh well, let them learn a bit of respect.' "Stand next to me." Another nod. Satisfied she sits down just before the teacher enters, a middle-aged woman with a friendly expression, dressed in a voluminous purple robe and wearing a hat. She looks around the classroom and speaks with a satisfied smile.

"Well, everyone, it seems that the Springtime Familiar Summoning was a great success. I, Chevreuse, always enjoy seeing the new familiars that are summoned each spring." She then notices the Apostle. "My, my. This is not something you see quite often. You truly have a peculiar familiar, Miss Vallière."

Louise's face bright up at the compliment. Someone claims it is a fluke. Louise denies. Chevreuse fills their mouths with red clay. The lesson resumes.

Zeruel observes with interest the feats of the older female. Energy-mass conversion and matter transmutation, they are new interesting applications of the Light Of The Soul. She don't fully understand the mechanics of her master race's Light but she is confident she can replicate the effects with a little training. The question is: how they can be used to serve protect her master? She needs to think more about it.

"Now then, would you like to try transfiguring these stones into something else Miss Vallière?" The professor asks Louise. Many beg her to refuse but doing so only fuels her determination more. She stands up and walks toward the front of the class, Zeruel behind her. Louise don't complain, neither does Chevreuse.

The Angel of Might extends one of her many senses and carefully analyzes Louise's actions. She wants to witness the prowess of her master, obviously more powerful than her. She listens to her chanting, strange words that seem to be a help to manipulating the Light. She then focuses on the power building.

Her eyes widen when the atoms of the pebbles began a matter-antimatter annihilation with a predicted energy output high enough to cause severe bodily harm. Her instincts take over. The runes flash.

It's time to protect her master.

The pebbles on the desk violently explode filling the room with smoke and soot. The classroom erupts in a pandemonium.

"That's why I told you not to let her do it!" Kirche shrieks.

"Jeez, Vallière! Save us some relief and just quit school already!" Someone else screeches.

"Professor! Are you alright?"

But when the curtain of smoke drops an incredible sight appears to the class. Before Louise and Chevreuse stands Zeruel, as if to protect them. No one has seen her moving, but the most astounding thing is that the trio is completely unharmed. Every bit of furniture in the room is destroyed save for the blackboard and the wall behind them. On the floor, unnoticed, a neat line separates the soot covered from the still pristine stone.

Zeruel turns toward the shocked Louise and Chevreuse and asks. "Are you alright master?" A great concern is transmitted through the mental link.

"Ah...I'm fine." She replies, unable to understand what just happened. Usually she is the first receiver of her failure, and to tell the truth it is the first time she escapes without damage. She looks straight in the eyes of Zeruel. "You...protected me?"

The small smile forming on the lips of the Apostle is a more than sufficient answer.

"Ahem...Miss Vallière." Chevreuse stutters, her nerves still shaken. "You can return to your seat. And I...I better call someone to clean this mess..."

[*]

"It is good?" Louise asks.

"Yes, master." Zeruel replies taking another spoonful of soup: she is sitting on the floor on her knees, the buttocks resting on the heels (seiza-style). It is lunch and the Vallière decided to let the Apostle eat in the Dining Hall as a thanks for the previous help during class. One of the servants, a maid named Siesta, apparently took a liking to her familiar and said she was willing to cook for her. It appears the Apostle is a vegetarian, so the maid cooked a vegetable soup for her. It was hilarious to see the maid explain to the winged girl how to use a spoon with great detail.

Louise take another sip of tea, in the meantime thinking on the events of the day. After Earth class has been canceled she asked Zeruel how she stopped the explosion. At first she didn't understand what the 'Light Of The Soul' was, until the Apostle said it was the same power her and her peers used. She was talking about magic! It was a strange term but she supposed that like many other things the 'Apostles's' culture was very different from the human one. It was even possible they were from beyond Rub' al Khali in the East. She had looked in the library: Birdmen were in fact able to use Ancient Magic, the same as the Elves, but were limited to the manipulations of the flora like trees. Zeruel used hers in a stone room so it can't be the same. Truly, hers is a familiar with many mysteries.

Her musings are interrupted when a very angry voice call her. "There you are, Louise!" She finds herself face to face with that playboy Guiche waving his staff-rose around. Let's be serious, who do he think he is? Some sort of drama actor? Only Kirche is worse of this goof.

"What do you want Guiche? Make it fast, I don't want my tea to get cold." She murmurs with false courtesy.

"I want you and your familiar to apologize!" He exclaims flicking his rose.

"..." Louise's brain tries to process. It fails. "...What?"

"Last night your familiar offended both me and Katie! She has the guts to ask if we were maids. Maids! Can you believe it? So I want her to apologize, and since masters are responsible for their familiars I want you to do the same!" He finishes with a smirk.

That fades when Louise begins giggling like she just heard the best joke of the world. "Uhuhuh...you, her, maids...Uhuhuh!" She wipes a tear from her eye. "Sorry, it's too funny to resist. I instructed her to find a maid, and since she didn't know how to distinguish between people I told her to ask, but to think...Uhuhuh! You're the best, Zeruel!" She compliments the winged girl. The Apostle don't understand the reasons but she knows her master praised her, so she smiles.

"And?" Guiche tries to keep up the facade of politeness. "When are you going to apologize?"

"Never."

The facade melts like snow under the sun. "What?"

"I said neither I or my familiar will never apologize to you." She waves her finger. "She didn't anything wrong, she was only getting information like I told her. I am going to punish her because she tried to perform my orders? I don't think so. I will make sure it doesn't happen again, but I will not lose my time over something so futile."

"Futile? Your ignorant beast insulted the both of us, it's a grave matter!"

Louise slaps both hands on the table, rising to her feet. Zeruel does the same, laying the soup on the table. "Now YOU are insulting my familiar? Zeruel is not ignorant or a beast, she's just a little naive. It's not her fault if you and who else was with you are so touchy!"

"Her name is Katie! And we are not..."

"Who's Katie?" A voice cold like ice cuts the heated atmosphere, sending chills down the spine of everyone save Zeruel. Guiche turns his head and turns pale. Because before him stands hell itself. A hell with long, thick blonde curls.

"Montmorency. This is a misunderstanding, the only person I hold in my heart is you..." The unfaithful fop tries to defend himself but, alas, the Universe with the capital U is not a nice entity. And it likes to troll poor fools like humans.

"I knew it, you and Miss Montmorency are..." Another voice, this one sobbing. Guiche turns again and paled even further, because this time it is Katie.

"Katie, Montmorency, I assure you this is all a big misunderstanding..." Stubborn till the end, eh boy? A pity it's pointless. Rightful feminine fury explodes and Guiche de Gramond finds himself on the ground with two new marks on his cheeks, a pair of very red hands.

"So..." Louise asks, more disgusted that amused. "Case closed?"

"As if!" He shouts, rising to his feet with all the bravado he could muster despite his stinging face. He turned toward Zeruel, seeing in her a target to restore part of his lost pride. "Thanks to your thoughtless actions, the reputation of two ladies has been damaged. Therefore I, Guiche de Gramont, challenge you to a duel!"

"Are you becoming mad?" Louise can't believe her ears. Maybe the slaps have damaged his already addled brain even more . "You got what you deserve and now you try to make my familiar take the guilt? Besides, duels are forbidden."

"Only a duel between nobles." The blonde declares.

"No. I prohibit it."

"The choice is not you to make. So, beast, your answer?"

Zeruels expressionless face don't change one bit. "Master's orders are absolute." It is all she says.

"See? MY familiar is obedient. Get lost two-timer, don't shame yourself further."

Guiche frowns. "Obedient? More like afraid. I should not expect more from the familiar of a worthless mage such as you, 'Zero'."

Louise is livid. 'Again. Again and again they insulted me: for my magical failures, for my flat chest, for...for everything!' No one had ever faith in her, not even her family! Only big sister Cattleya believed in her and never cared about her mistakes. And _now_ this shameless two-timer dare to mock her and the only other being who has show kindness to her? Her last hope of having a companion, a guardian...

_...A friend..._

"Fine. Have your way." She hisses. 'Just you wait until Zeruel shows her magic and we'll see who is the worthless between us.' "Zeruel!" She commands. "Hit him with everything you got!"

"Understand." The Apostle replies automatically.

"Good." Guiche grins. "The Vestri court, thirty minutes..."

It is as far as he got before the fist of Zeruel punched him straight in the face. With a sickening sound of broken bones the young noble is sent flying backwards until he crashes into a table, breaking it into two. A very robust table it must be said.

"Zeruel!" Louise shrieks. "What are you doing?"

"Following orders." Is her calm answer.

"What orders?"

"Hit him with everything I got."

"I was talking about the duel!"

Zeruel tilts her head, while other students try to help Guiche with cries of "Someone call a healer!" and "Oh God, is that his face?", and asks innocently: "What is a duel?"


	4. Chapter 4: Stronger Than Legend

**I'm late! I'm late! Sorry, sorry *bow*. I've been busy with real life and other fics.**

**yog: ****the answer to this question, made by many, is simple****: like MizerE and chaosglory626 said, the former order of 'not kill' interfered with the latter 'hit him with everything you got'. Because the second didn't directly contradict the first (in that case the second replace the first) Zeruel was forced to search a compromise: so she hit Guiche with her maximum nonlethal damage (for a human). Yes, with the punch she held BACK her full strength. And it's only her physical strength (with AT-Field Hax involved). **

**I almost forgot: Guiche will survive, but it'll take time for him to heal. Time and money.**

**Sylphid's opinion of Zeruel? Okay, imagine the most powerful beings of the ZnT verse, like the Water Spirit: they have powerful souls, but still conform with the natural laws of the world. Dragons know to not screw with them, but also that they're not a danger unless provoked. Now, imagine that Zeruel possesses a soul, even in a weaker body, orders of magnitude more powerful that everything, EVERYTHING in the ZnT verse and adheres to completely unknown laws only hers. They can't understand her, no one bit, and thus fear her. It's like trying to understand Cthulhu and how his mere presence warps the laws of physics. Remember, Zeruel _is _a Eldritch Abomination.**

**Apostle is English, they're talking French: with Louise's language it will be 'apôtre', but even so in the ZnT there isn't a precedent. Brimir wasn't Jesus (mostly because of the genocide).**

**Angels, accordingly with Brimir's faith, are the formless emissaries of God who carry his will among men. In the beginning to paint them was used the human form, but 1500-2000 years before Louise's time artists decided to use the more graceful Birdman form. This is my tweak for the story behind.**

**Kamigawa Nagamaki: a M? Maybe, who know? Brain damages? Oh, I could never do it *he said with an angelic expression and all the fingers crossed behind him*. The apple is a reference to the Fruit of Knowledge, almost always an apple in religious pictures. It is hinting that Zeruel is gradually becoming accustomed to her new capacity of thinking for herself.**

**Soulful100: the cookies are yours! It's the second actually: the direct exposure of Louise's soul with the infinitely more powerful one of Zeruel will bring massive changes. Not body merging, sorry, but Halgekenia is not ready to what I have in store for her.**

**Mandemon90: Archer became like this only after he died and began to work as a Counter Guardian. HoS Shirou want only to die to meet Saber again and in the meantime he kill and burn and maim to save people. The original Shirou dislikes killing and would sacrifice only himself if necessary. HoS Shirou and IF Shirou: I refuse to acknowledge them as a possible evolutions of him, no matter the circumstances.**

**MizerE: Foquet? Let's just said that convincing her to go against Zeruel again will be quite the deed.**

**For the marriage I have already the plot written. Let's just say that, no matter how good ****you're as an actor, the Light of the Soul strips away all lies.**

**Oh, but she IS Rei with pink hair and wings. Well, at least for a great part of her new personality. Don't forget who was the donor for the new sample of DNA.**

**Lord Sia: do you really think he will have the courage to ask such a thing?**

**Sky Zephyrus: Zeru-chan? That's it! For now on it will be the official nickname for her. It is _sooo _cute! ^^**

**STRONGER THAN LEGEND**

[*]

Inside the school's library, in a section reserved only for teachers, Jean Colbert is still trying to decipher the runes of the familiar Louise had summoned. Usually an enthusiastic researcher, all of the man's good mood was ruined after his encounter with the...the _thing_.

'Even now I feel the need to take my wand and burn her to ashes. Why? It's not logical. She had done nothing threatening. Just another, if peculiar, obedient familiar...'

A familiar who was watching you like you were a stain on a wall and was trying to decide whether to clean up or leave you there, suggests a dark niche of his mind. He chooses to ignore it and instead focus once again to his research. Runes: while each individual one had its own meaning, together they had an entirely new one, and so the more complex the combination the more meanings it can hold. In this case hours of research have not produced any concrete results.

Until, just for a whim, he decided to consult a book about familiars written at the time of the Founder itself. Inside, on an almost illegible paragraph, he finds it. Not a hint to read them, but much more.

He finds a _match_.

'This is it. But how it is possible? "Gandalfr", The Master of all Weapons, one of the four familiars of Brimir. I must inform the principal of this.'

But before he can close the book something catches his eye. Looking closer at the runes, Colbert see something is wrong.

'No, they are not the same: this rune and this rune are different. Let's see...the parts for "gift", "need" and "blessing" are off. They are replaced respectively with "might", "messenger" and "judgment". They can still be read as Gandalfr, but the whole meaning is not more "The Left Hand of God", but rather...' Colbert's confusion reaches its zenith.

"...'The Left Arm of God'?"

[*]

"So let me see if I have this right." Old Osmond, the Headmaster, mumbles, feeling a migraine coming.

He is inside his office and with him there are other four persons. Louise, sitting on a chair before the desk of the old man and downright terrified. Zeruel, standing next to her master in her usual emotionless state. Miss Longueville, the old man's secretary, sat at another desk, and writing the report of the events previously discussed. Monsieur Charles Cotin, the school's Master Healer, myopic eyes squinting behind thick glasses.

"Sir Guiche de Gramont came to you, Miss Vallière, and demanded apologies for a supposed lack of respect from your familiar."

The pinkette nods without raising her head.

"Said lack of respect was apparently asking if him and another noble girl were maids, because she know so little about humans that she can't distinguish between them on clothes or appearance alone. The reason she asked was because she was fulfilling your order to find a maid and make her wash your dirty clothes."

Another nod.

"You refused and the situation, which included said noble girl and Miss Montmorency slapping him for two-timing them, escalated until de Gramont challenged your familiar to a duel which you accepted. Then you told your familiar to, I believe the exact words are: 'Hit him with everything you got'?"

Nod. Nod.

"A command your familiar promptly followed, punching him so hard it send him to the infirmary." Louise nods again and blushes. Loungueville suppress a chuckle. Osmond shakes his long, long beard and turns to the Healer. "Charles, how is the young Gramont?"

"His nose is squashed, all the upper front teeth were blown away and the front of the skull is broken into multiple parts. This is only with the initial impact." Louise pales. "He also gained several compound fractures when he was thrown against the table."

"I see." The Headmaster sighs. "The diagnosis?"

"The good news is that thanks to the excellent skills of myself and my own team we can heal him completely almost without permanent damage." Cotin puffs his cheeks. "The bad news is that to do it we need a month of intensive therapy and expensive reagents."

"At least his life is not in danger. So, Miss Vallière." He switches to Louise.

"I will be expelled right? Mother will kill me. No, she will kill me and then disown me. No, she will kill me, disown me and then..." She begins to ramble with glassy eyes.

"It was a most unfortunate conclusion, but all in accord with the dueling rules. So I will not account yourself responsible." Osmond interrupts the girl.

"...Hang me an then...Eh?" All eyes turn toward the old wizard. "What do you mean in accord to the rules? My familiar attacked him!"

"After de Gramont challenged her to a duel. The duel was held and the young boy lost. End of the story."

"But...but first they had to chose a place, concede to the another the possibility to retire, appoint an referee..."

"Oh, but this is not something we will write on the report. Right, Miss Longueville? Charles?" Osmond winks. "We do not want a little misunderstanding to go out of control causing unnecessary annoyance to our students."

"Rather, you don't want to move your old arse from your comfortable seat, you cunning owl." Cotin smirks.

"Why, what ever you would you be referring to my dear friend?" He chuckles. It is at that moment they are interrupted by a sudden intrusion. The door is thrown open with a slam, and Colbert rushes inside.

"Old Osmond! I have big...! Miss Vallière? Monsieur Cotin? What are you doing here?" He asks confused.

"Welcome, Mister, err... What was it again?" Sir Osmond cocks his head.

"It's Colbert, sir."

"Right, right. Now I remember. It's just that you talked so fast I never really caught it. So, Colby, why are you here?"

"I want to talk with you Headmaster about a important topic, but...can I ask what is going on here?"

"Well, you see..." Osmond explains the whole story.

"What? But the young man will be alright?" Cotin nods. "Thank goodness, but Miss Zeruel, I must say I'm surprised you are so physically strong."

"That's right!" Louise interjects, more serene now that the prospect of a punishment is very far away. "Why did you hit with all your force? You could have killed him!"

Zeruel slightly tilts her head. "Incorrect, Master. It is because...I could not kill him that I...have very carefully calibrated the...strength of the blow."

"Uh? What do you mean you couldn't...wait a minute..." The eyes of everyone widen with realization. "You _didn't _hit him at full force?"

"Correct. This morning Master gave the order..of 'don't kill anyone'. When the order of 'hit him with everything...I got' was issued the two entered into conflict. Because...the second didn't directly contradict the first and...replace it I searched for a compromise and...decided to carry the command using...my maximum nonlethal damage calibrated on...human biology." She explains with a mechanical tone.

Osmond gulps. "I...I see. Miss Zeruel, right? Before you and Miss Vallière go I have a request for you." He waves his wand e over the desk appears a solid steel bar. "Could you try to bend this bar bare-handed? You can use your full strength." The look in his eyes is different, almost calculative.

Zeruel checks on Louise. "Do it." The short mage orders. The winged girl nods, walks to the desk, picks up the bar with both hands...

And _bents _it with absurd ease, like she was folding a piece of paper. The looks of shock of the five mages would be priceless for a third-party beholder. Like ourselves.

"Now, please try to break it in some way." The old man asks again. This time the Apostle simply _pulls _and the bar snaps in half.

"Anything else?"

The old man vehemently shakes his head. "No! No! You can go. You too Charles." When the three leaves the room he shifts his gaze toward Colbert. "So Colby, what do you want to talk with me?"

The voice snaps the researcher out of his stupor. "Ah? Oh, yes, yes! Please take a look at this!" Colbert hands Osmond the book he had been reading just before.

"This is 'The Familiars of the Founder Brimir', is it not? Are you still going around digging up old literature like this? If you have time to do that, why don't you think up some better ways of collecting school fees from those slack nobles? Especially now that we need to patch together the young Gramont."

"Please take a look at this also!" Colbert then hands him the sketch of the runes on Zeruel's left hand. The moment he see that, Osmond's expression changes. His eyes takes on a solemn light.

"Miss Longueville, would you please excuse us?"

Miss Longueville stands up and left the room. Osmond speaks only after he confirmed she was properly outside.

"Explain this to me in every detail, Mister Colbert..."

An so on for the next ten minutes the fire mage fervently explains everything to the old man about the Birdwoman that was summoned by Louise at the Springtime Familiar Summoning, how he was concerned about the strange runes that had appeared on her hand as proof of the contract and how, searching for a way to read them, he come across the book and found the match.

"You do realize," Osmond raises a eyebrow. "that the two sets are different?"

"You're right, but the resemblance is too big to be a mere coincidence! Maybe the runes weren't transcribed correctly, after all it was six-thousand years ago. Or they change for each summon." Colbert wipes his balding head with a handkerchief. "Regardless I'm sure that 'Apostle' is the Gandalfr! Things like this don't just happen randomly."

"Apostle?"

"Her race's name. I searched but there isn't a single mention in the library. I believe it's a specie which live beyond the Elf's lands. But now that I think about it, what were you trying to verify with that test?"

"That..." Osmond's eyes glints like a hawk's. "Please take a closer look to the bar."

Colbert picks up one of the remains on the floor and scans it. After two seconds his eyes widens. "But...! This is..."

"Correct." The Headmaster confirms with a grave tone. "Even if retired I'm still a Square-Class Earth mage. I enchanted the steel with every possible trick in my arsenal. It will be required at least another Square-Class spell to damage it, and yet Miss Vallière's familiar did it bare-handed. Remind me again about Gandalfr."

"The familiar used by the Founder Brimir, Gandalfr! There was never any description of its appearance, but it's said to have been created specifically for the purpose of protecting the Founder Brimir during his very long spell incantations." Colbert say excitedly. "It could annihilate an army of one thousand all by itself! Ordinary mages were said to be no match for it!"

"It was also said to be able to use any weapon to take down its enemies."

"Yes. Old Osmond: we should report this to the palace immediately and ask for instructions..."

"There will be no need for that." Sir Osmond replies sternly, ruffling his white beard.

"But sir! This is the biggest discovery of the century! A Gandalfr reborn in the modern world!"

"And who was it that turned her into a modern Gandalfr?"

"That would be Miss Vallière."

"And you're well aware of her _unusual _talent. What a utter paradox. In any case, there is no need for us to hand over Gandalfr and its master to those fools at the palace. Give them a toy like this and they'll just cause another unnecessary war. Court advisors have too much free time on their hands and like fighting far too much."

"O-oh, I see. I apologize for overlooking such important matters." Abashed, Colbert rubs at his bald-pate again. "But what should we do, Sir?"

"For now we wait. And observe. Keep a keen eye to our mystery duo and report to me, and only to me what you find. I will take responsibility of this case myself. You will not speak of this to anyone else, Mister Colbert."

"Yes! I understand." Colbert straightened up, like he was again in the military, and left. Once alone Osmond lit his smoking pipe and turned to look out the window. He immersed his thoughts in the far reaches of history.

"Gandalfr, the familiar of the Void...the Founder, the wielder of the Void element...the possible conclusions are puzzling, at least. But I wonder...Of the four the Left Hand was the Shield and meant only to protect. Without a weapon he could do nothing. And yet this new one...dare I say she surpass even Legend itself?"

[*]

Let's return to our favorite Pink Duo. They are outside the castle, away from prying eyes.

"Listen, Zeruel! This time we were lucky, but I will not let it happen again! From now on not only killing the students and the staff is forbidden, but also hurting them!" She declares with confidence.

"Understand. But...what I'll do if you...are attacked, Master?"

"I can assure you no one will attack me. But if they do you can react only if they are the one to do the first strike. Geez, next time try to think better about what I order you. Read between the lines."

Now Zeruel looks _really _confused. Meaning, Louise senses the confusion through the link, the girl's face don't change a bit. "Master, I'm afraid I don't...understand. Master's orders are Master's orders. Are you saying...they mean something else?"

Louise facepalms. She groans. "No, Zeruel, I'm saying you don't have to follow my words to the letter...Wait a minute..." An expression of horror begins to appear on her face. "You don't even know what I'm talking about, don't you? As long I give you an order you will do _exactly _whatI said without even thinking about it."

"Master's orders are absolute. What you command...I follow." Zeruel nods with iron conviction.

"Oh Fouder!" Louise screams to the Heavens with her hands on her hair. "So it is MY fault! Why, why in the books wasn't there written a single warning against ill-advised orders?"

Perhaps because no one in his right state of mind would write that ordering a familiar to 'hit' a person is a bad idea. The part about 'familiars are supposed to protect their masters' is not a incitation to use them as weapons. It is part of the common sense, which regrettably for our dear Tsundere is not the same as the noble's honor.

The Rule of Steel of the Vallière family? Sure. Nobles are better than commoners? Let's go with it.

It doesn't mean you are not responsible for your actions. So, Louise Françoise Le Blanc de La Vallière, do you understand now? With power comes responsability and getting what you want will **not** resolve all of your problems.

[*]

Miss Longueville, the Headmaster's secretary. Also known as Foquet the Crumbling Dirt, the infamous mage thief. Also known, but no more, as Matilda of Saxe-Gotha, of the Albion nobility. But the full story is long and this is not the time. For now we will call her Longueville.

This young lady, after having left the office, became curious and decided to eavesdrop through the wall with her Earth magic. The sounds were muffled, but what she picked up was more that enough.

'Gandalfr? The mythical familiar...here? This is indeed big news. I wonder, how can I use this information?'

You see, Longueville had not become Osmond's secretary only for the money. It was in order to probe the magical defenses of the Academy Vault. Inside, among other articles, rests the Staff of Destruction, a powerful weapon found years ago by Osmond himself. It is Foquet's target. But there is a problem: no one, not even the old man, knows how to use it. So what's the value in a weapon if you can't use it?

'They say Gandalfr could use any weapon at will. If so...can I use her talent?'

She is not a fool, she knows she needs a wise plan. As a fellow Earth mage she has recognized the Headmaster's test: the Birdwoman's strength was _insane_. And she is sure the familiar can also use some form of magic like the others of her kind. But she is confident her one hundred feet tall Golem can crush her like a insect if the need comes.

[*]

In another universe, Unit-01 is laughing. Is laughing _hard_.

[*]

_That night, in her bedroom, Louise Françoise Le Blanc de La Vallière sleeps. Sleeps and dreams._

_She dreams of swimming. Swimming and then emerging from the red water so full of _potential_. She had sensed. After many cycles, she had sensed the Mother._

_Since the _SEPARATION _she had been alive without knowing why. No message, no revelation. The Father remained silent. And lost. But the Mother will know. So she goes on behalf of her siblings. She will ask and then they will know. The will know why they live._

_On her way she encounters them. Lilith's brood, the Lilim, little, pathetic creatures. She has nothing against them, but they attack her, trying to stop her to meet the Mother. She can't permit it, so she retaliates. Her Light pulses. Hundreds die. She don't feel bad for them. She don't feel _anything_. All she know is that she has to advance._

_It was then that a new sun blooms in her face. It hurts. It _hurts_. The former weapons of the Lilim didn't even scratch her Light, but this one does. She underestimated them. But it is not enough to _kill _her. She draws power from her Fruit of Life and begins to knit her flesh back together with her Soul. She don't simply restore it, but improves it with a means of attack able to stop the weapons of the Lilim from hitting again. It works. Obviously. Such is her and her sibling's power. _

_She has almost reached the Nest of the Mother when she encounters IT. The Mother? She first thought. She looks and meets a shade. She studies it. _

_No, this shade isn't the Mother. It don't have a fraction of Her glory. It is more a Shadow of the Mother. And its soul is little more than a mockery of Her glory. But then what it-_

**A Lilim. ****It is a Lilim wearing a copy of the flesh of its Mother. **

_For the first time in her life, she feels rage. A rage so absolute it threatens to drive her mad._

**This..._ABOMINATION _will not stand!**

_It will not stand. She will not allow it: the Lilim had gone too far. So she reaches and hurts it. Again. Again and again and again until it _dies_. It is the end. All is good._

_No it is not. A impossibility. The shadow rises again. Now it is filled with Rage and Madness and Pain. It is a pitiful sight. To how much pain the Shadow had been subject to made it mad like that? Now it can only think of destroying everything around it. It spots her._

_And hurts her even worse that the new sun. How! How can this be? She needs to retreat, she needs to stay away from the Abomination. So she concentrates and the Light of her Soul flashes into a Wall. The Shadow impacts against the Wall. It tries to breaks it but meet only failure. It's impossible, the Wall is absolute: it's the supreme manifestation of her Will to reject what she doesn't like. Shrouded in it nothing can hurt her..._

_No! Impossible! The Shadow too raises a Wall! The two forces meet and they both take the other down. It exchanged its only mean of defense in order to kill her. Without bothering that now it too is defenseless. Has the Shadow...no sense of self preservation ? Or it is so distorted it can only see the death of its enemy as a viable solution?_

_How..._**sad**_._

_That is what she is thinking when the Shadow attacks again, this time aiming directly at her Soul. The pain was never so great! She can sense it: her Soul is breaking apart. Soon she will die and reunite with her sibling. It is not the end: others will come after her. But before then..she will fulfill her duty._

_She will DESTROY the Shadow!_

_So for the final time she concentrates and her Soul shines. And in an instant..._

_All is _LIGHT_. _

_In her bedroom, Louise Françoise Le Blanc de La Vallière wakes up _screaming_._

[*]

**Shamsel: So I'm next, uh?**

**Sachiel: No. Don't you remember? They are dream sequence, not even in a chronological order. They are needed in order to...to do what exactly?**

**Ramiel: Classified information. At this point it will be considerate spoiler. But we really care about what will happen to the pink Lilim?**

**Shamsel: I don't know, to speak the truth I kind of like her. After all she had endured she need to learn how to actually interact with the others of her race without fearing of getting hurt. And we taught the Eva pilot how to do that, right?**

**Ramiel: In a roundabout way, yes. So, another Instrumentality?**

**Shamsel: Naaah, it will not be necessary.**

**Sachiel: Not to include all of humanity, you mean?**

**Shamsel: ...Maybe.**


	5. Chapter 5: More Insanity

**It's been a while, it isn't? Well I have not well definite excuses, barring lack of inspiration, university and vacations. But I'm back and this is what matter. I think.**

**Blake0831: Yes You're right, silly me. Corrected.**

**Chargone: Right, I can see it too. I'm going to correct it.**

**Gamazek: Yeah, I'm surprised myself.**

**CyberAngelOne: I'll show one or two different point of view in this chapter.**

**Peanuckle: Yes, not my brighter idea. I'll avoid it from now on.**

**MisterSP: Yeah, Evangelion is pretty confused. I'm using terms like 'Father' and 'Mother' solely because Angels thoughts are hard to translating and they are the closest match.**

**Scott pike: Yes, but only if she look closely. Siesta don't have much Japanese blood.**

**Le Roi des Ombres: Zeruel is strong and resilient, but not fast. And magic, of the energetic type, can more easily punch through At Field. The problem is, well, that all the Angels can develop a counterattack to anything if given enough time. Like Sachiel growing a second mask with a beam attack. And now you make me imagine the duel Karin vs Zeruel...shit will really hit the fan...**

**Sky Zephyrus: Sorry, I will sticking to the novel.**

**Dudeabides: A comedy series? Where?**

**Malterex: The true troll is the one who didn't have to do much, just pointing out the truth in the worst manner possible.**

**More Insanity**

[*]

It had been a few days since the incident with Guiche and Louise understanding of just how much responsibility the task of managing a familiar is worth. Even more so if the familiar in question can trash a mage with just one hit. But if there was just one thing she got from the whole mess, was that now nobody taunts her anymore, not with Zeruel constantly hovering behind her. Now they just send angry glares. The servants on the contrary, happy that a stinking noble and one of the most persistent molester of young maids is out of the way for a while, had elected the Apostle their number one responsibility and provided with great efforts their best meals to her and her master: even if she's a noble many sympathize with the young Vallière for the harsh treatment from her peers. And hey, cleaning and repairing rooms is what they are paid for. No sense complaining.

Zeruel is currently returning from the library to the master's room, in her hands books Louise needed for her studies. There is no one in sight. And then, just suddenly, she finds herself hovering in mid-air. "Uh?"

"Ah ah! Catch you, at least." From behind a corner make their appearances a group of six students, all second-years beside the one at the front who from the cape is a third-year. He is a fairly unremarkable fellow, with slicked-back black hair and emanating an almost delusional air of authority and smugness about him. Oh, and he is waving a wand in the direction of Zeruel. "Now, little birdie, you will pay for the grave sin of laying your hands on a noble. As for the divine mandate of The Founder it is the holy duty of nobles, who are superiors to all other creature in virtue of the gift of magic, to punish those who doesn't know their place. Now, prepare yourse..."

"Release me." The quiet and yet sharp command of the winged girl cut through the ranting of the boy, who simply blinks owlishly. She continues. "Master assigned me a task. I must...complete it. You are obstructing...my reunion with her. Release me."

"Ahahaha! You have no right to make demands, beast!" He and the others laughed. "This will also be a lesson for your master, so that a Zero like her could finally understand that she doesn't belong here but with the other commoners!"

At those words Zeruel's eyes narrow. "You are threatening Master." It is not a question.

"Of course!" He admits without shame.

"Then you will removed."

'Levitation' is a simple Dot class Wind spell. Almost any student can use it: some of the lazy ones (read: everyone) use it to cover great distance or go to class without using the stairs. The basic principles are simple: manipulating the air around the target to create an air cushion and lift them off the ground. Simple inclinations can induce all kind of movements.

Angels, on the other hand, use the AT Field to literally move the _space _around them, producing the illusion of movement. Gaghiel used it to moved the impressive mass of his body in the water with the speed of a torpedo and the maneuverability of a motorboat. Sandalphon swam in _magma_. Sahaquiel and Arael moved through the void of Space. In short, the nature of an Apostle's propulsion is beyond even the capacity of Earth's current technology to replicate.

Zeruel's AT Field flashes and the spell simply shatters. Next with her right palm, while the left arm carry the books, she slaps the third-year, trying to restrain her strength. He was still sent flying out of the window, thank goodness it is only the ground floor, several of his teeth clattering on the floor.

The next moment hell broke loose: fireballs, blasts of wind, whips of water and oversized fists of rock, all the remaining students pulled out their wands and began to launch all the spells they can think about. But even when burned, blasted, whipped and crushed Zeruel doesn't stop even an instant, any possible interference from the outside stopped by a flickering multicolored hexagonal barrier surrounding her body. She _just _fell a little heat from the fire. The Apostle's fist is swung another six times.

[*]

"Master, I have returned." Zeruel speaks opening the door.

"Good." Louise sat up from the desk and take the books. She notes they seem strangely warm, too warm. Her eyes narrow. "Did something happened?"

"I was...attacked."

"Again?" The pinkette shouts exasperate. "What it is that, the fourth time in less that a week? Don't they have something better to do? No, more importantly, can't they take a clue? How many?"

"Seven."

"You left them alive." It is not a question. The flat tone in which Louise speaks of life and death would have unnerved even her big sister Cattleya. It eerily resembles her mother's speech.

"As you have ordered." Still, not as flat as Zeruel's.

"Good. As usual they will probably be too embarrassed to tell someone who did this to them." She massages her temple. Worrying is useless: she had seen first hand how strong her familiar is. And those were just her incredibly powerful defensive spell and strength. Who knew what else she has up her sleeve. "But I can't let it continue. Alright, tomorrow is the Day of the Void. We'll visit the city and buy you a sword."

"Sword?" Zeruel tilts her head, not knowing the meaning of the word.

"A weapon. I know you don't need it, but at least the sight of it would make people think twice before attacking."

"...Weapon." The winged girl ponders. 'A tool or instrument used in order to inflict damage to living beings or artificial structures and to gain an advantage toward an opponent.' Like the tools of the Lilim. In her weakened state such an accessory would be most welcome, to better protect the Master. The runes agree and tell her to not worry for her ignorance of how use it. All will clear in time. She nods. "A most...favorable course of action. Anything...else I can do?"

"Not for now." She shakes her head. "Rest. Tomorrow we have a lot to do."

[*]

Tabitha surveys the damage done to the hall after having witnessed the battle concealed under an 'Invisibility' spell. The results are...worse that she expected.

'The first was taken by surprise, but not the rest. Still, she didn't even defend herself: just charging ahead and hitting. Not one of the four elements was able to prevail, or at least appeared to have a slight advantage. And if I'm not mistaken that barrier was capable of containing even Vallière's explosion.'

She grimaces. Zeruel, an 'Apostle': she knows nothing about such species, apart from the facts that this particular specimen is strong like an Troll, fly more swiftly than a Wind Dragon and can deploy a shield spell of unknown element with the same defensive capabilities as the scales of a two headed dragon. And it is exactly this lack of information that concerns her the most. Still not even this element would be sufficient to make her do more that keep her guard up and ears open to catch any possible development.

Except that she trusts Sylphid. And when her familiar told her the winged girl is the most _horrifying_ and _dangerous_ being in the whole academy she believes her. Nor she was not capable of seeing that something was wrong herself.

But at the end the main point remains the same: Kirche could be in danger. The rivalry between her and Louise's family is well known among the students and her exuberant friend make no effort since the first year of Academy to stop the 'tradition'. She believes it is for the pinkette own good, the use of well placed jabs to take her away from depression. That it's fun and makes Kirche look good is just a nice plus.

Many times Tabitha was very tempted to tell her the only results of her stunts were to just push the Vallière more and more deep into despair. Instead she keeps silent, because such an action would force her to expose her own darkness.

And now Louise attains a powerful familiar who fulfill her every order at the letter. More like a Golem that a living being. And if the girl in a fit of rage say something like 'I wish you are dead'...To be honest she too had to say to Sylphid to not eat humans, horses and other familiars but the dragon quickly understand the logic being it. The Apostle would follow everything her master wanted without a second thought.

She definitely needs to keep an eye on her.

[*]

"...Master, what is the...purpose of those creatures?" Zeruel asks eying the strange quadrupeds before her.

"What do you mean? They're horses, we need to use them to go to the capital."

"Ah...and how we use them?"

"...You seriously don't know. Why I even...never mind. Listen, we need to ride them to travel. Is the best way short of taking a carriage or a flying...Wait a minute, you can fly!" She points at her, only now remembering that particular bit of information. "Can you carry me all the way to the capital?"

"I don't know how much distant is...this 'capital', but I am confident...I can cover a long distance in little...time."

"Perfect!" Louise claps her hands. "Pick me up in your arms and fly in that direction. Be careful not to drop me or I will die!"

"Acknowledged." Zeruel bows and embraces Louise. She closes her eyes.

"What are you...?" Louise starts but is interrupted when she feels a strange and yet warm feeling, like a blanket fresh from laundry, enveloping her. The next instant they both ascend in the sky.

Louise suddenly yelps in surprise at the strange sensation: there are no feelings of movement, nor she can feel the wind on her face. Weird, truly weird. She raises her head to demand an explanation from Zeruel when she notes for the first time two things. One, there is a big ring of energy floating above her familiar's head.

Two, her familiar's wings _aren't _flapping.

"Z-Zeruel..." She began in a trembling voice. "What...what are you doing?"

"I'm using my Light of the Soul...to propel both of us." She stated in a flat tone.

Louise eyes widen. "You're using _Magic _to fly? But that's impossible, no one has high enough Willpower to do it at the level of a winged creature for a long period of time." She looks down. "And surely not at this speed! Founder, I can already see the Capital ahead! Why don't you use your wings?"

Zeruel tilts her head. "Those appendages are an...unexpected by-product of my recent restoration. I ignore...the causes behind them, but I can...exclude flight as one of their...functions."

"I...I am not even sure I understood even half of what you have said. Tell me, all the others of your species have this ability?"

A nod.

"I see." 'No I don't. But maybe...' "...Zeruel, get down. I want you to land...here, in the middle of that clearing."

Once landed took out her wand. "I'm going to try the 'Shared Perception' spell to feel through your senses. _This _spell at least should not blow up. Don't oppose resistance to my conscience slipping in." After she receives confirmation she makes an elaborate motion with it before whispering to herself. "_I see, I hear._"

The world _explodes. _Thousands of different sensations and data flooded Louise's mind. Everything is _sharper_: 360 degree view shows her every single detail of every single angle of every single speck of _dust _in an area of several meters. Colors she didn't even know existed breaks themselves from the Sun's light. She can hears an ant walking and the heartbeat of a bird flying in the sky. Someway she can _smell _the hue of a leaf. _Taste_ the blood system of the _ground _below her. The whole scenery dissembles into four sided _triangles _and other impossible geometric figures in _five _dimensions.

And at the center of all of this there is the _melody_. She doesn't hear it with her ears but with her heart: it sing of loneliness, of a spirit hurt by others, of insecurity in its own abilities. A child trys to be stoic but crys inside. Guilt and low self-esteem. A mask of steel with too many cracks covers a despair always hidden. A hollow pride without foundations.

And below the abyss of darkness and _Void _a single _Light_ shines with the heat of a thousand dying suns.

Louise understands. A truth too strong to be denied. An absolute Gospel. She understands she is seeing _herself _and _screams_.

"MASTER!" With the cry of Zeruel comes the sudden severing of the psychic link and Louise finds herself cuddled into her familiar's arms. "Master! Are you alright? What...is wrong?"

"Ah...ah..." She is aware she is bleeding from her nostrils, but she made no effort to wipe herself clean. "Wow. Just. Wow. Is this how you see the world, Zeruel? I have no idea. No I'm pretty sure I do something wrong because there is no _way _some of that is real, no _way _that exist organs capable of sensing things like that and I am shivering right?" She asks with a trembling voice.

Zeruel can only nods and continues embracing her master, her hand massaging her back to sooth the pain in an unconscious reflex. They remain both silent for several minutes, until Louise speaks again.

"...Zeruel." She begins without meeting her eyes. "Before...I saw myself. I hear a melody and I saw the _truth _about myself. What does this mean?"

"The Light of the Soul and the...Melody of the Soul are one and...the same. One self stripped of all...lies. No secrets and no deceptions. You listen...to your own melody. It is not a...simple task facing one true self."

"...No, I suppose it's not."

[*]

After somewhat recovering from the ordeal they complete the journey and arrive at Tristain, the capital. More that one curious stare was directed at the strange being accompanying a noble, but for all that Zeruel cares they could be all dancing naked and she would spare not even a bit of her attention. 'Master was hurt. She could not bear the full might of my mind.' It was a problem she not foreseen, but now she understands why the flow of communality is restricted. Her master is not ready to be one with her. This must be corrected, but in the meantime she needs to be even more on alert.

The weapon shop is down an alleyway. They enter: despite the bright sunlight outside, the interior is quite dim. Walls and shelves display a disorganized mix of weapons and shields. A detailed suit of armor decorates the room. A rotund man in his fifties with a pencil mustache and mouse-like front teeth, idly smoking a pipe, eyes the newcomers with suspicion. His eyes widens on seeing the pentagram on Louise's cloak clasp. "My lady! My noble lady! All of my wares here are real and reasonably priced! There's nothing criminal here!" He squeaks. How fitting.

Louise's eyebrow rises up. "That was a rather specific denial."

"Ah...ehm..." He stutters.

"Forget it." She waves and and to drop the subject. "I'm here as a customer. To buy a sword for my familiar."

"Oh yes! I have just the thing! A sword fitting nobility, forged by the famous..."

"Any slab of iron with an edge would do." Louise cuts him off. Honestly, he thinks she was born yesterday? She will not fall for pretty things, and certainly not handled by shady guys like him. Besides she only needs an intimidating decoration.

The shopkeeper's shoulders slumps. "Oh...in that case you can check the pieces on the wall."

"Heard him? Choose what you like." Louise says. Zeruel nods and began to examine the various tools on display. The runes tell her to simply touch one and they will provide an opinion. She complies and touch a long spear. The Gandalf's powers activates and the answer is immediate.

"Trash." The shopkeeper sputters. She pays no mind and reach another weapon, a rapier. "Will break with one swing.

An axe. "There is no edge."

A shield. "Too fragile."

Another sword, a massive Zwieihander. "Made of painted brass."

Louise snickers. "So, nothing criminal here, uh?" The mouse-man cringes.

"AHAHAHA! They have you by the balls, you old cheater!" A deep, male voice resounds through the shop. "Serves you right! Hey you, little lady: do the world a favor and toss him into prison. Then sell me to the executioner: I promise I will do a good job!"

All their heads turn in the direction the voice come from. But there is nothing there, just...

"Is that...a talking sword?" Asks Louise.

"That's right, my lady. It's a sentient, magical, intelligent sword. I wonder what kind of mage could make a sword speak… but it's got a rotten tongue and a bloodthirsty personality, always arguing with my customers. Hey, Derf! Keep up the insolence and I'll ask this noble here to melt you!"

"You can't! Ahahaha! Nobody can! The great Derflinger is indestructible! Not even my creator could do it, and to tell you the truth she tried nearly everything...frustrated she tossed me in a swamp, but even if I can rust I will never break!" It was the same length as a huge broadsword, more thin and a blade slightly less broad. Its surface was coated with rust, and the quillion was moving up and down like a mouth. "You! Winged girl! You searching for a weapon? Then pick me! The rest are a fraud." It declares with confidence.

Zeruel is interested. From what she could tell this tool possess a soul of its own even with a body not made of flesh, and the flavor resemble the energy of her Master. Obeying the compulsion of the runes she extends her left hand and grips the handle.

The instant she does it a new rush of information pours into her brain. The runes flash and with joy the runes tell her this a most formidable weapon of par with the Lance of Longinus, the damnable weapon which sealed the Father and her brethren for a long time. Just like that she knows how to wield it with maximal proficiency, how to strike with minimal effort to attain the greatest damage. Defense, offense, it can do both. With one smooth motion just learned she pulls the blade, oddly shinning with a hue of red, out and swings it at the wall.

The wooden panel and the other weapons _shatters _like glass, the blade opening a gash large enough to fit a man inside.

The stunned silence is broken when Zeruel nods in satisfaction. "This will do."

"Oh...OhahahaHAHAHAHAHAH! That was amazing partner! This strength! This power! They were _ages _since I see something like that. What I am saying? This is the first time! Just loosen a little your grip, would you? Ahh, much better. And you're a user...uhuhuh, it's been a while since the last female one. So, what's your name, partner?"

"Zeruel."

"A girl of few words, aren't you? That's fine, I can speak for both. Name's is Derflinger, but you can call me Derf. Now just stab the old man and we can be on our merry way." It says chuckling darkly. The shopkeeper pales.

"What?" Louise shrieks. "No Zeruel, no murder remember!" She turns to the man. "I'm sorry. How much I own you for the sword and the...damages..."

"Nothing!" He shouts trembling like a leaf. "You own me nothing! Just go away please and never come back!"

"You _suuure _don't want to do it, child? I can tell you one or two convincing reasons: like that time he sold a priest a huge load of..."

"We're leaving!" Louise grab the belt and scabbard and shoves the sword back inside its scabbard before taking Zeruel's hand and running out.

That day the most dangerous being of a world and the most dangerous weapon of another became a team.

And many will _suffer_.

[*]

**...Eh, weren't expecting that, weren't you? I told you in Chapter 3 that I will include someone to compensate for Saito. Sort of. There is a reason, I assure you.**

**Sachiel: I don't believe you.**

**Ramiel: Neither do I.**

**Traitors.**


End file.
